Xuezhi's casual remark caused another huge uproar.
Most people believe that this is not a simple matter of resolving the conflict between the two sects. Everyone knows that Mount Hua is the righteous sect, while Chonghuo Palace is the evil sect. Mount Hua follows Shaolin's lead, and Chong Xuezhi suffered a setback at the Shaolin Weaponry Tournament. Chong Xuezhi, having just become the palace master, has already stepped in to oppose Mount Hua. In reality, Chong Xuezhi's true purpose is to defeat Mount Hua, indirectly issuing a challenge to Shaolin.
A few days before their departure, one of the disciples who had caused the incident came to Mu Yuan cautiously and said, "Great Protector, you should try to persuade the Palace Master not to make this a big deal. Actually... actually, our victory wasn't very honorable. Feng Mo's men were all useless; in reality, it was like he was the only one against our entire group..."
Mu Yuan glanced at him and continued examining the sword: "Do you think it's too late to say anything now?"
Meanwhile, Chong Xuezhi sat in Chaoxue Tower, smiling awkwardly at Zhu Sha: "This is the first time I've used this thing."
"Palace Master, please don't laugh. No one can rival this treasure."
The whole world is waiting to see the showdown between the two major sects.
70 71 72
70
In April, the Shaolin Temple Weapon Ranking Tournament concluded. This time, the top two spots on the rankings were once again taken by Shi Yan and Lin Xuanfeng. Third place went to the First-Rank Divine Moon Staff from Moonrise Valley. However, many were puzzled as to why Shangguan Tou had once again fled halfway through the fight. Most speculated that he didn't want to face Lin Xuanfeng and the Spirit Sword Manor. This made the reason for his expulsion even more mysterious. Because Shangguan Tou had never tasted defeat, some guessed that his strength surpassed Lin Xuanfeng's, and even exceeded Shi Yan's.
However, the discussions at the Weapon Ranking Tournament were put aside due to the duel between Chonghuo Palace and Huashan.
Aotian Manor is located south of Luoyang. It is a favorite gathering place for orthodox sects to discuss and compete in martial arts. Because the incredibly wealthy young master Situ, now known as Uncle Situ, once spent a large sum of money on it, the entire manor is magnificent and comparable to a palace.
Originally, the host was just an older disciple of Emei, but when she heard that Chong Xuezhi was going, Abbess Ciren personally went there.
To confront those who arrived at Aotian Manor, it wasn't just the people from Chonghuo Palace and Huashan Sect who came.
There were more people than I could have imagined.
In April, the lilacs at Aotian Manor were in full bloom, their white and pale purple blossoms blending together to partially obscure the buildings and arena, creating a scene reminiscent of a fairyland. The entire manor exuded the fragrance of spring, a captivating elegance.
Feng Cheng had naturally heard about the recent changes at Chonghuo Palace and rushed to Luoyang early in the morning, but he was still symbolically a little late when he arrived.
As for his beloved son, Feng Mo, he arrived at the manor early and had his sword and crown checked repeatedly.
He only remembered that nearly three years ago, the young master of Chonghuo Palace had already secured a place in the top thirty of the Heroes' Tournament and was able to withstand dozens of moves from Abbess Ciren. Although to the world she was nothing special, because she was the daughter of the number one person in the world, those of her generation knew that if she continued to train like this, the title of martial arts overlord might once again be claimed by Chonghuo Palace.
Now that Chong Xuezhi is nearly twenty, it is impossible to estimate how strong she will become.
If he were to defeat the disciples of Chonghuo Palace, Chong Xuezhi would surely intervene. And if he were to lose to such a little girl...
Feng Mo clenched his fists and said to the servant beside him, "Take a look at that sword and see if there's anything wrong with it."
"Young master, this is the eighth time..."
"Same the eighth time. Let's see."
At this moment, Feng Cheng whispered a few words to the person next to him, looked at the disciples standing in front of him, and sighed, "I thought I was arrogant enough, but I didn't expect Chong Xuezhi to be even more arrogant than me. I deliberately came late, and she still hasn't arrived."
No sooner had the words been spoken than the sound of hooves approached.
Many people present were impressed by Xuezhi's red dress and white horse, and many men thought she was exceptionally cool. Everyone eagerly awaited Xuezhi's arrival.
Feng Mo immediately gripped his sword and stood up, his body tense.
Fengcheng pressed him down.
"Let the storm rage, I'll remain calm and collected. Even if Chong Xuezhi really makes a move, I'll still have your old man here, won't I?"
However, the man who arrived on horseback was there to deliver the message:
"The Palace Master of Chonghuo Palace has arrived!"
Feng Mo breathed a sigh of relief.
The river flows gently, encircling the villa. The white and purple lilac blossoms intertwine, resembling drifting clouds in the sky, beautiful and elegant.
At this moment, however, came a leisurely horse-drawn carriage, which looked more like a leisurely outing than a martial arts competition.
The carriage stopped under a clump of drooping lilac branches.
She was still wearing a red dress and skirt, but no longer made of cotton fabric, but of silk that resembled crimson clouds. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down her shoulders to her waist.
Everyone present stared intently at the person beneath the flowering branches. Although their faces were obscured, many were certain it wasn't Chong Xuezhi—when had Chong Xuezhi ever worn a skirt, and when had she ever possessed such a graceful figure?
Then, she stretched out her long, beautiful fingers and gently parted the flower branches.
The woman behind the flower tilted her head slightly, a half-smile playing on her lips, gazing ahead.
Snow-white and pale purple lilac petals fell with the wind, fluttering and scattering throughout the entire manor.
Meanwhile, Lin Yuhuang, in Chonghuo Palace, frowned and pouted, saying, "When Zhi'er was little, her slanted eyes only made her look like a brat who deserved a beating. A few days ago, when I looked at her, she looked like a vixen no matter how I looked at her. I even blamed myself for a long time for having that thought. But when you dressed her up, I finally realized that it wasn't just a resemblance, it was the very thing."
Zhu Sha laughed and said, "Didn't you say that Palace Master Lian was a vixen back then?"
“That’s right, look at Lian, who’s a man, and he’s like this. My precious daughter…” Lin Yuhuang thought for a moment and then said, “But, my daughter is really beautiful, the more I look at her, the more beautiful she becomes.”
"Haha, that's right. The Palace Master has a bad temper, and bad tempers tend to live longer."
"Just like you?"
The veins on Zhu Sha's forehead bulged as he smiled and said, "I'm gentler now."
Aotian Manor.
Xuezhi lowered her head slightly, slowly walked up to Fengcheng, and said with a faint smile:
"Greetings, Sect Leader Feng."
Feng Cheng felt as if he were in another world. It wasn't until someone nudged him that he hurriedly said, "Ah, ah, alright, how has Palace Mistress Xue been lately?"
Xuezhi gently covered her mouth and chuckled softly, "Very good, Sect Leader, you're too kind. I wonder when the martial arts competition will begin?"
At this moment, everyone came to their senses—this was a martial arts contest.
The next moment, the whole story ended without any suspense.
"Let's stop competing. My son acted impulsively, it was his fault. Consider this a favor to Palace Master Xue." Feng Cheng stood up, clapped his hands, and said, "Someone, bring the silver over."
Fengmo thus became a stepping stone, which the old man stepped over.
"Thank you, Master Feng. I will definitely pay you a visit when I have time."
When Xuezhi said those words, she didn't notice the expressions on the faces of Abbess Ciren and Fengcheng's concubine. She also never imagined that such a single sentence would lead her down a path of no return.
Half an hour later, the people from Moon Valley arrived, but Xuezhi had already left.
Three days later, Lin Yuhuang's jinx once again proved effective.
Bai Manman, the beloved concubine of the Huashan Sect Leader, announced to many martial arts practitioners that Chong Xuezhi was a shameless vixen who seduced her husband and even said she would come to his door to offer herself to him. She also said that if Chong Xuezhi could rein in her improper habits, she would be magnanimous and not hold it against her.
Upon hearing this news, Xuezhi immediately smashed the teacup in her hand.
"I wouldn't even take the chance to seduce Yipin Tou, let alone seduce Uncle Feng?! You're asking for trouble!" With that, she threw the undergarment in her hand into Zhu Sha's hands. "It was all your bad idea to make me wear this. What's the point of wearing this? Am I really going to seduce an old man?!"
"No, no, I just hope the Palace Master can be a little more like a woman. Wearing this, she can exude femininity effortlessly..."
71
After Bai Manman made those remarks, almost all the men who had been there that day spoke up for Xuezhi, saying that it was Fengcheng who gave the money to cultivate a good relationship with Chonghuo Palace, and that Chong Xuezhi was merely returning the favor by saying she wanted to visit Huashan Sect; there was nothing wrong with that. However, the more people helped, the deeper Bai Manman's hatred grew. Master Ciren wasn't as angry as Bai Manman, but she shook her head and said that Chong Xuezhi was getting worse every year.
As a result, Lin Fengzi, who was not well-liked by the women before, suddenly became their saint overnight.
Therefore, the saint's eighteenth birthday in June has attracted even more attention.
Everyone knows that Lin Xuanfeng dotes on Lin Fengzi. However, few would guess that in order to hold a birthday banquet for Fengzi, he invited almost everyone of any importance in the martial arts world, spent more than four months preparing, and spent enough money to buy a third of Suzhou City.
Chong Xuezhi naturally received an invitation as well.
However, when Xuezhi heard the news of Feng Zi Shou Banquet, she had no intention of considering whether to go.
She was in Luoyang, the legendary city known for having the most gossip in the martial arts world. Some people specialized in selling insider information about the martial arts world at fair and cheap prices, with discounts of up to 20% for regular customers. Xuezhi had originally just been having fun, having Zhusha spend a few dozen copper coins to inquire about the recent events at Lingjian Manor, Shaolin Temple, and Yue Shang Valley. The shopkeeper became quite talkative when Yue Shang Valley was mentioned, so naturally, Zhusha told Xuezhi all the scandalous news about Shangguan Tou.
Xuezhi was so angry that she couldn't speak.
What she recalled was what happened on the night she left Moon Valley.
If she could choose to forget this memory, Xuezhi would definitely do so without hesitation.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.
It would be a lie to say I never had any wild thoughts.
She thought that what she brought to Shangguan Tou was not only tenderness, but perhaps also a touch of longing.
After all, when he held her, whether it was his gentle whispers in her ear, his unforgettable gaze, or his affectionate look into her eyes, she felt that he was conveying something different to her than to others.
It was only at this moment that she understood why so many women both loved and hated Shangguan Tou.
If she hadn't entered the pass, she might have already clung to him, demanding that he be honest with her or take responsibility—how would her behavior be any different from that of other women?
Take responsibility? What a joke!
This is something only a weak woman with no ability would do, but she wasn't.
Xuezhi was glad that she had left decisively, that she hadn't made such a disgusting request, and that she hadn't followed Shangguan Tou and become devoted to him.
Shangguan Tou may have countless women. But there is only one Chong Xuezhi in the world.
Having calmed down a bit, Xuezhi entered the Luoyang Inn.
The moment she entered, almost everyone looked up at her, but her mind wasn't on that.
After settling her disciples, she called Mu Yuan and they returned to their guest room.
"And what's this about the Silver Whip Sect?" Xuezhi put down the list in her hand and looked up at Mu Yuan.
"Moon Valley is a threat, but it's not difficult to deal with. Palace Master, don't worry, I will take care of it."
"I want to know the specifics."
The Silver Whip Sect has been dependent on the Chonghuo Palace for years, but the Chonghuo Palace is actually very conservative and righteous in its dealings, quite different from the rumors circulating outside. Two years ago, the Silver Whip Sect's leader, Wang Zhexiang, became addicted to gambling and lost half the sect's silver. Wang Zhexiang quickly sought help from the Chonghuo Palace, but they naturally ignored him and stopped subsidizing him. Enraged, Wang Zhexiang severed ties with the two sects. However, not long after he left, the Moon Valley forces completely defeated the Silver Whip Sect, seized control of the entire sect, and claimed they wouldn't destroy them, would protect them, and would even lend them a large sum of money, albeit at a rather high interest rate.
To pay off their debts, the disciples of the Silver Whip Sect worked twice as hard and spent a lot of time fighting in the arena to earn silver, but compared to the previous losses, it was nothing. At this time, Yue Shanggu appeared again and said, "We can sell you weapons so that you can earn money to pay off your debts better, and then we can be even."
Then, this major sect, which had almost grown into a city, took advantage of Shangguan Tou's power in the capital and Luoyang, and the reputation of Yue Shang Valley in the martial arts world, and hired a large number of famous blacksmiths led by Wei Yi'ang to forge iron and sell weapons, making a huge profit.
As a result, the Silver Whip Sect acquired many fine weapons, which indeed significantly enhanced their standing in the martial arts world. However, they spent a considerable amount of money while earning very little in return. Their debt to Moonrise Valley grew larger and larger, until finally, Wang Zhexiang could no longer hold out. She had long realized she had fallen into Moonrise Valley's trap, but regret was useless. She could only come to Chonghuo Palace, her face nearly ruined, saying that Shangguan Toushi could be renamed Shangguan the Skinflint, and that if things continued like this, the Silver Whip Sect would definitely be swallowed up by Moonrise Valley.
Although the Silver Whip Sect was only a second-rate sect, it was still incredibly tragic that it ended up as the foundation of Moonrise Valley.
Xuezhi felt helpless after hearing this and said, "Moon Valley's power is already so astonishing, why make things difficult for small sects?"